A Reunion of Friends and Foes
by Belle5
Summary: A reunion after 5 years...read and review plz!
1. The First Reunion

Draco Malfoy walked through the streets of Diagon Alley, his head raised high in pride. People congratulated him as he walked past, and he nodded, with a smug smile in reply. A familar voice greeted him.  
  
"Congrats on making minister of magic..Malfoy"  
  
Draco's head turned to the owner of the voice.  
  
"Why thank you..Harry..." his eyes gleamed with hate.  
  
Harry narrowed his eyes a little. "Err... so are you coming to the reunion this evening?"  
  
Draco perked a brow. "Yes, actually...I'm assuming you are?"  
  
Harry nodded, "Yes, and looking forward to it very much. I can't believe its been five whole years..."  
  
Draco nodded absently, and his gaze fell apon a woman, who looked faintly familar. Harry glanced over to see what he was looking at, and immediatley recognized the woman, his eyes brightening.  
  
"Well, see you tonight" Harry said quickly. He dashed over to the woman, and gently tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around, her face lighting up.  
  
"Harry!" she exclaimed, hugging him.  
  
"Belle! How've you been? I heard that you are now the editor of the Daily Prophet...thats so wonderful!"  
  
Belle beamed, and nodded, "Yes, its been quite thrilling, actually." she brushed a golden curl from her eyes with a gloved hand. "How have YOU been?" she smiled.  
  
Harry shrugged. "I've been alright, getting along just fine" he smiled, trying to seem cheerful.  
  
Belle felt someone watching her, and glanced over Harry's head. There, she saw a man standing, watching her. She raised an eyebrow, examining him. Then it clicked. "Is that ..Draco?" she said, motioning to the man.  
  
Harry sighed, "Yep, the same old grump I'm afraid...been named minister of magic..who knew?"  
  
Belle half smiled, her eyes meeting Draco's. He quickly looked away, walking into the Leaky Cauldron. Only moments later, Belle and Harry walked in, and taking a seat at a table next to him. Harry nodded a hello to Draco.  
  
"Ello again", harry said flatly.  
  
"A Pleasure..as always", Draco snarled in reply.  
  
The thud of the door echoes through the tavern, and Draco's attention is turned to Hermione and Ron, who had just entered.  
  
"Great...the filthy mudblood's back..", he grumbles.  
  
Belle's eyes narrowed. "Really, Draco. You'd think you had might've grown up a little by now.."  
  
Draco glared at her. "Oh, but I have..."  
  
She rolled her eyes in response. "Doesn't seem that way.."  
  
Hermione sits down next to Belle, Ron next to her. "Hello Hermione" Belle says calmly.  
  
Draco scoffs. "I would think someone like you wouldn't associate with people such as this filthy mudblood..."  
  
"What do you mean, 'someone like me'?" she snapped in reply.  
  
"A..pureblood..." he snickered, getting up and leaving the tavern, his mind swirling with thoughts. 


	2. The Photo Album

Belle's eyes followed Draco as he fleed the tavern. She scoffed, rolling her eyes. Ron sighs, rolling his eyes along with her.  
  
"He's a bloody coward, I swear!" he said matter-of-factly.  
  
Belle narrowed her eyes in thought, bringing her mug up to her lips for a sip. She swallowed the warm liquid, sighing. "He's afraid of the past.." she said quietly  
  
"But Belle, what do you mean by that?" Ron said curiously.  
  
"No matter" she said simply in reply, rising from her stool. She nodded a goodbye to the group. "See you tonight.." she said as she walked up the stairs to the inn. As the old wood boards creaked beneath her, memories flooded her mind. Memories of Hogwarts, and the life she once had there. She reached her door, and opened it with her key, before gently shutting it behind her once more. The first thing she spotted as she walked in was an old owl, sitting in the middle of her bed.  
  
"Well, hello" She said softly, walking over to it, and pulling a package and a letter off of its leg, pulling some bread out of her pocket and feeding it to it. She examined the things she had recieved, and sat down. She set the package down next to her, as her eyes scanned the envelope. She flipped it over, and her eyes met the Malfoy seal. She furrowed her eyebrow at this, but opened it anyway. The letter read: Belle- I thought you would like this back...I was cleaning out my old office in the ministry, and came across it..don't ask me why it was there, I haven't a clue. I have no use for it any longer, and since it was yours to begin with, I figured you'd like it back. -Draco Malfoy, Minister of Magic  
  
She laughed a little at the letter. "What could this be?" She thought aloud. She reached for the package, and ripped off the brown wrapping. Her eyes widened as she saw the cover of a book she hadn't seen in years. She opened the cover cautiously, and her eyes fell upon a picture. She laughed slightly at it, examining it closer. It was a picture of her and Draco at a very young age..5 or younger possibly. In the picture, he was handing her a rose, a goofy smile plastered across his face. The younger her giggled, taking it and smelling it. Belle laughed, turning the page. On the page was another picture, similar, except that Draco and Belle were about two years older. As she flipped through the album, the two got older in the pictures, and their faces changed. After the second picture, their faces got sarcastic, until a few more later. They were about 14, and their faces looked sincere. Belle smiled a little at this, flipping the page once more. Over the next few pages, the two's faces got more hardened, angry. She furrowed a brow, flipping one last page. This picture was different from the rest. It was graduation day..she leaned back on the bed, remembering the day clearly.  
  
It was a lovely summer day, and the 7th years were bustling about in the common room, speaking of graduation, and what would happen afterward. Belle smiled politely as her friends spoke of their dreams, but she knew it was likely they would never come true. She wasn' much of a dreamer anymore. Those days had past, she was moving on. Before she knew it, the cermony had come and gone, and she was standing with her parents, her face emotionless and blank.  
  
"Oh come on sweetie, give us your marvelous smile Belle! Its all over! You did it!" Belle's mother beamed at her daughter, putting a slender hand on her shoulder. Her attention turned to the distance behind Belle. "Oh! I've got an idea!" She grabs Belle's arm, dragging her over to the Malfoy family. Belle gives a pleading look to her father, but he just shrugged and chuckled, following. Her mother pulled out her camera, and Belle groaned, knowing what was about to happen. "Draco get in the picture." Belle's mother said, motioning him toward Belle. He walked over, his face looking blank. "OH! Can't forget this!" Belle's mother handed him a rose, and smiled. "Just for old times sake, go on..you know what to do" She winked, backing up a few paces to get a good shot.  
  
"er..um Mrs. Gratio..." Draco tried to protest, but Belle's mom just shooed him toward Belle.  
  
"Go on dear!" she said, shaking her head, laughing.  
  
Draco walked over toward Belle, barely glancing at her. He put his hand out to hand her the rose, looking down.  
  
"Draco LOOK at her for heaven's sake!" Belle's mother called.  
  
He looked up at her, his eyes softening. Belle took it, just as the camera flashed, a tear rolling down her cheek. She turned away quickly, biting her lip. Draco reached out his hand slightly, but pulled it back just as quick.  
  
Belle stared down at the photo. That was so long ago...but it seemed so close. She sighed, snapping the album shut. All that was in the past now. She musn't go back.... 


	3. Never Go Back

A friendly reminder: I do not own any of the characters from harry potter (harry, draco, hermione, ron, etc.) J.K. Rowling does. Don't know who she is? Sucks to be you, now doesnt it?I do, however, own Belle Gratio and this plot. I might use some other characters, but i will ask and acknowledge their creator's first. Author's note: sorry this chapter is so short..but be prepared for a longer chapter next time! Chapter 3- Never Go Back Draco sat in his office, staring at his desk which was empty except for one piece of paper. He picked it up, re-reading the words written on it.  
  
"Saturday, June 18th, 2000  
  
Belle graduated today. Jonathon and I were extremely proud. I think I might've embarrassed her...I did the picture thing again. I couldn't help myself! Those two were meant for each other since the day they met. It would be so marvelous to see them wed in my lifetime. Well...I can't seem to convince Belle they were made for each other...Draco's my next project..but I doubt he'll listen. Oh well, I suppose you can't push them to it..such a pity.  
  
~Gweneth"  
  
He sighed. He had concluded that this was a page out of Belle's mother's diary...it had somehow found its way into the photo album, and must have slipped out when he was wrapping it. He didn't bother until now to pick it up. He couldn't help re-reading it several more times before jamming it into a drawer.  
  
"Her mother had dreams for us..hopeless dreams..." he muttered to himself.  
  
But why? Why did she even bother? Belle and I fought endlessly..we were definitely not meant for each other...he thought, staring down at the empty desk. Belle and him had fought since they were young, and it was always over the stupidest of things. Sure, they had dated in their fifth year at hogwarts, but their fighting got the better of the relationship They had even tried again in their seventh year, but he had lied to her..and when she found out..well, that was the end. He sighed again, rising from his chair and walking out of his office, then all the way out to the streets of Diagon Alley.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~.  
  
Belle stared at the closed book, blinking back the tears. She ran her hand over the ridges of its cover, sighing. A voice in her head awakened her from her dreamland.  
  
"Belle, how many times do I have to tell you..DONT GO BACK TO HIM! He'll just break your heart all over again.."  
  
"Show yourself Apollo!" she called in response, sitting up and looking around. A handsome tomcat appeared, swishing his tawny tail, a smirk on his face.  
  
"I told you never go back the second time, and look what happened. You would think you would have learned Belle." a voice spoke in her head. Belle didn't break eye contact with the cat. He seemed to stare at her, never blinking.  
  
"Apollo, there's no chance for us this time..so don't worry about it" she said, a bit more sharply than she meant.  
  
Apollo's eyes narrowed. "Don't be so sure Belle.." he said, hopping off the bed and crawling under it. Belle rolled her eyes, getting up. She walked out of the room, and down the stairs. She nodded to Ron, Harry, and Hermione who were still sitting at the bar. She walked out the door leading to Diagon Alley.  
  
She knew Apollo was worried for a good reason, but she had learned her lesson this time. She would never make that mistake again. Ever. 


End file.
